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Both Va. attorney general candidates act like victors

Leading by 164 votes out of 2.2 million in the Virginia Attorney General's race after a week of counting, Democrat Mark Herring, a four-term state Senator, named a transition team Wednesday. So did his

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Leading by 164 votes of 2.2 million in the Virginia attorney general's race after a week of counting, Democrat Mark Herring, a four-term state senator, named a transition team Wednesday.

So did his opponent, Republican state Sen. Mark Obenshain.

Obenshain said in a news conference Wednesday it is "premature" to consider requesting a recount. "With a historically narrow margin, and the vote tally yet to be completed, the responsible thing to do is to prepare for a potential transition.''

Local electoral boards finished certifying the vote Tuesday, giving Herring a margin of 0.007%. The state Board of Election is to certify the vote Nov. 25. Since Virginia law does not provide for automatic recounts, Obenshain would have to ask for one.

If Herring prevails, Democrats will hold all five statewide offices in Virginia for the first time since 1990. "We will get back to putting ideology and partisanship aside, and putting the law and Virginians first,'' Herring said in a statement Wednesday.

"It's a close race but we believe we've prevailed and his chances of prevailing are extraordinarily slim,'' Herring spokeswoman Ellen Qualls said. "We think we have an extraordinarily larger shot at this so we're assuming that Mark Herring is the attorney general-elect.''

State Sen. Mark Obenshain, R-Harrisonburg, a candidate for attorney general, speaks during a new conference Nov. 13 at the Capitol in Richmond, Va. Obenshain announced his transition team, hours after Democratic candidate Mark Herring announced his team.(Photo: Steve Helber, AP)